By Toren Chenault — I remember an interview with comic writer and artist Matt Kindt on YouTube. I think it was an interview he did right before the release of a new Valiant book. Kindt was talking about how everything in his career would be judged against his breakout hit, MIND MGMT. He said anything else he put out would be compared to a comic a lot of people consider a masterpiece. Kindt even admitted he wasn’t sure he could harness the same level of creative energy for a story like MIND MGMT ever again. Not only has Kindt channeled that creative energy since, however, he’s done it repeatedly with sensational stories like Dept H, Black Badge, Grass Kings, and Ether. Bang! #1 from Darkhorse Comics is another example of a writer clearly in the midst of an extended creative prime.

Bang! is another mind-bending spy comic from Kindt. A story where you never truly know what’s going on, where corrupt agencies reign supreme. One of the coolest things about this comic was the promotion. There were blacked-out lines over certain details of the comic like a spy dossier. And at one point, Kindt got interviewed by a character in Bang! — I’m not kidding, it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. Except I didn’t catch on until the end. I remember thinking halfway through, “This isn’t really professional.” This comic had been marketed as the culmination of all Kindt’s spy-themed stories in his career, and the promotion was top notch. 

I love reading stories where I don’t really know what the endgame is. But I don’t like reading stories that are abstract just for the sake of it. Kindt’s comics always have that weird element, but they have a solid and accessible plot anyone can follow. Bang! operates the same way. From the first page, we’re thrust into a spy adventure. And there’s a huge twist that hooked me for the rest of the issue. The way the title of the comic is introduced was also extremely creative.

The art, meanwhile, is fantastic. I loved Wilfredo Torres’ art from Quantum Age, and in Bang! his work is a pleasant sight. Nice, clean pencils, and the panels do a good job of showcasing Torres’ art. The panels are simple and spacious, and it works well with Kindt’s script. Another highlight of the art is the color. Nayoung Kim does a great job of making this story seem as stylized as it wants to be. This comic looks like it was ripped straight from the ‘80s. Colorists are essential in establishing a comic’s tone, and this is a great example of that. Muted colors or overdone inks could’ve made this comic look too serious, which isn’t the point. Bold, exciting, and lively is what this comic was going for, and they nailed it. There are some vibrant and colorful panels in here that are so fun they make me almost want to be a spy. Almost.

The biggest highlight of this comic, however, for me was the story. Or rather the potential this story has. There’s so much we don’t know, and I always find myself questioning every aspect of Kindt’s stories when I read them. Why is this happening? Why is this panel set up this way? What does this color mean? It’s a story within a story, and I love it. Phillip K. Verve is a character that was mentioned in promotion and solicits. He’s a novelist whose science-fiction paperback is a central item early in the story. And the reveal of his true role in this story is awesome...the perfect amount of crazy. There’s clearly a lot going on in this chaotic world, and this eccentric author may be at the center of it. 

From the promotion, to the powerful art from Torres and Kim, and the reveal of Verve, this comic is poised to be another powerhouse title penned by Kindt. I can’t even begin to predict what’s going to happen, but I’ll read every issue with anticipation. Kindt may not agree, but he’s surpassing Mind MGMT at this point in his career. Pumping out hit after hit for the last couple of years now. And doing it with some of the best talents in the industry.

Overall: From its unique promotion to powerful art from Torres and Kim, and the reveal of major twists, this comic is poised to be another powerhouse title penned by Kindt. I can’t even begin to predict what’s going to happen, but I’ll read every issue with anticipation. 9.5/10

BANG! #1
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Wilfredo Torres
Colorist: Nayoung Kim
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
Solicit: A best-of-the-best secret agent with memories he couldn't possibly possess, a mystery writer in her 60s who spends her retirement solving crimes, a man of action with mysterious drugs that keep him ahead of a constant string of targeted disasters, a seemingly omnipotent terrorist organization that might be behind it all...And they're all connected to one man: a science-fiction author with more information than seems possible, whose books may hold the key to either saving reality or destroying it. A mind-bending story that ties in with past Kindt works (Revolver). Action, mystery, and altered reality!

Read more great comic book reviews here!

Toren Chenault, a native of the Cincinnati area, currently lives in Michigan with his girlfriend. A graduate of Michigan State University, he is a long-time superhero fan who counts Captain Atom, Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Divinity, Nightwing, and XO Manowar among his favorite heroes. Mystic Man is his first book. Buy it now here, and check out more of Toren’s Why I Love series here.